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Episode 81 (20th September 1961)
Plot After Frank's left for work, Ken gets a letter which troubles him. Nancy wonders what the problem is. Dennis drops his "Ricky Dennis" persona and instead starts up Dennis Tanner Enterprises. He tells Elsie that Jed has taken over his doorman job at the Orinoco Club as he is now supposedly Assistant Manager as well as being a talent spotter. He starts to think big. Linda gets moody that she and Ivan can't afford to go out any more but he promises that it won't be forever. Ken tells Val the letter was an offer of the Surrey school job but he he'll have to give it up to stay with Frank as Nancy is due to get an OAP bungalow soon. Val tells him not to be so noble. Annie gets annoyed when Nona constantly calls her "dear" and orders Jack to get her to call her "Mrs Walker" instead. Fred Clark calls in for his wallet and Jack confronts him about the fiddled empties. He refuses to hand over the wallet until the docket is corrected. Fred goes for him but Bill Gregory steps in and makes him sign the docket and then leave. Albert asks Nancy to join him on the forthcoming Over 60's Club trip to the Blackpool illuminations. Ken posts a letter to Surrey. Jed is amused when he catches Dennis practising his interviewing technique with new acts on a teddy bear. Jean calls round and admits that she's broken Dennis's guitar but it will be repaired by tomorrow. She surprises herself by trying to chat Jed up but he shows little interest. Annie is embarrassed when Nona starts to call her "Madam". Albert spreads the news in the bar that Ken has taken the teaching job. Alf realises Frank will be upset and goes rounds to see him. Swindley braves the Snug and asks Minnie and Martha to carry out Ena's duties while she's at her niece's for a week. He dragoons Minnie into it but Ena returns suddenly and throws him out of her chair. Alf blurts out his congratulations about the job to Ken in front of Frank. Ken lies that he didn't get it. Not realising the sacrifice that he's made for him, Frank tells Ken in front of Val that he's disappointed in his lack of get up and go. Cast Regular cast *Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton *Kenneth Barlow - William Roache *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Valerie Tatlock - Anne Reid *Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix *Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie *Ivan Cheveski - Ernst Walder *Linda Cheveski - Anne Cunningham *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Alf Roberts - Bryan Mosley *Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis *Concepta Riley - Doreen Keogh *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Leonard Swindley - Arthur Lowe *Jed Stone - Kenneth Cope Guest cast *Nancy Leathers - Norah Hammond *Bill Gregory - Jack Watson *Fred Clark - Jack Smethurst *Nona Willis - Barbara Ferris *Jean Stark - Renny Lister Places *Coronation Street *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *3 Coronation Street - Back room, kitchen and hallway *9 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway *11 Coronation Street - Back room and kitchen Notes *Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) is credited but doesn't appear. *Both this and the previous episode were firsts for the programme in that they were not recorded in the Quay Street studios of Granada Television in Manchester but instead used the facilities of Tyne Tees Television on City Road in Newcastle. The listings magazine for the North-East region, The Viewer, carried the story in its issue dated 14th October 1961, concentrating on Jack Watson who was recording his debut as Bill Gregory there and who had worked extensively in the area before. He was quoted as saying “Fancy having to come to Newcastle to start my role in Coronation Street.” The magazine stated it was a “red-letter day...when a large number of the cast of Coronation Street spent a couple of days at the Tyne Tees studios, doing two episodes of the series.” Based on the recording pattern of the period, the days in question were almost certainly 14th and 15th September, i.e. the week before transmission. The reason why the normal studios in Manchester were not available was not stated but was probably due to either maintenance work or another one-off production which bumped the programme from its standard routine booking. *Elsie Tanner makes fun of Dennis, saying that he's likening himself to James Bond. At the time that this episode was broadcast nine of Ian Fleming's novels had been published but the first film, Dr. No, wouldn't be released until over a year later on 5th October 1962 *''TV Times'' synopsis: Dennis dreams of seeing stars, and Kenneth makes a sacrifice. *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 6,765,000 homes (1st place). Notable dialogue Martha Longhurst: "Eh, did you catch that?" Minnie Caldwell: "What?" Martha Longhurst: "That Nona - she's got to call Annie Walker "Madam" now, if you please." Minnie Caldwell: "Perhaps she doesn't know her name...?" Episode 081